Eight Schools Battle for Shs 20M Stanbic Innovation Championship Grand Prize

With a combined prize pool worth over shs30 million, and a national spotlight shining brighter than ever, eight student teams from across Uganda are preparing to face off in the Stanbic National Schools Championship (NSC) 2025 Grand Finale on August 29 at Mestil Hotel, Kampala.

This year’s event, dubbed the “Battle of Champions,” marks a decade of the NSC, a flagship youth innovation program by Stanbic Bank Uganda that has become a cornerstone of the country’s drive to embed entrepreneurship, creativity, and problem-solving into the education system.

At stake is more than national pride. The winning team will receive a shs20 million solar energy system for their school, while the runner-up will take home a shs 10 million water supply system. Other finalists will receive scholastic materials, while two students and a mentor from the top-performing school will enjoy an all-expenses-paid educational trip to Johannesburg, South Africa.

“This competition is not just about prizes. It’s about giving young Ugandans the tools, platforms, and confidence to solve real-world problems,” said Mumba. “It brings our youth strategy to life — empowering tomorrow’s entrepreneurs today.”

Now in its 10th year, the Stanbic NSC has reached over 500,000 students, sparked more than 200 youth-led enterprises, and cemented itself as a key vehicle in the bank’s Women, Youth, and Farmers (WYF) growth agenda — a pillar of its 2025–2028 strategy.

“These innovations show us what’s possible when we invest in youth, not just as customers, but as co-creators of Uganda’s economic future,” said Cathy Adengo, Head of Sustainability at Stanbic Bank Uganda.

This year’s competition began with over 150 schools, with 500 students submitting projects in areas ranging from health tech to sustainable energy. After a rigorous national bootcamp and several elimination rounds, only eight teams remain.

Meet the Final 8

From the Central Region, St. Noah SSS Mawaggali developed the WalkMate Smart Glasses, integrating a locator, smart cane, and wearable glasses to support visually impaired individuals.

Summayya High School created a UTI early detection kit to help especially young women identify and treat infections before complications arise.

In the Western Region, Sacred Heart SS Mushanga built an automated water pumping and purification system, already being piloted at their school, while Ibanda SS designed insect-repellent candles made from coffee grounds and cloves — a natural alternative targeting hotels, lodges, and households.

Eastern Uganda is represented by St. Mary’s Girls SS Mandera, whose team developed a non-invasive glucose testing kit that uses urine instead of blood to monitor diabetes, and Musana Vocational High School, which engineered the MK Independent Power Source — a prototype generating electricity without sun, wind, fuel, or batteries.

From the Northern Region, Comboni College Lira introduced a smoke-free electric generator designed for rural areas with limited access to clean power, while Mentor Secondary School created an automated IV monitoring system that tracks fluid levels and alerts medical staff, promising to improve healthcare efficiency.

The final showcase will see students pitch their innovations before a panel of experts, investors, and policymakers. Projects will be judged on innovation, impact, scalability, sustainability, and presentation.

“Each of these teams has demonstrated the potential to become real entrepreneurs, not just participants in a school project,” Adengo noted. “This is what transformation looks like — and Stanbic is proud to be part of it.”

As Uganda grapples with youth unemployment and a shifting economic landscape, the NSC has proven that the country’s greatest asset is already in the room: its young people — thinking boldly, building smart, and solving for tomorro